Electrically-operated automatic switch.



W. A. LAGKE.

ELEGTRIOALLY OPERATED AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1908.

Patented Oct. 12,1909.

2 SHEET8SHEBT 1.

A TTORNEYS W. A. LAUKE. ELEGTRICALLY OPERATED AUTOMATIG SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1903.

936,329. Patented Oct. 12,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 FM fig INVENTOH William ()5. Z acke A TTOHNEYS UNITE STATES PATENT ()FC.

WILLIAM A. LACKE}, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ELECTRICALLY-OPERATED AUTOMATIC V SWITCH.

936,329. Specification of Letters n Patented Oct. 12, 1909. Application filed May 29, 1908. Serial No. 435,616.

To all whom it may concern: I for controlling the two solenoids the view Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. LACKE, a I indicating generally the position of the varicitizen of the United States, and a resident ous parts when the damper is open; Fig. 2 is of Chicago, in the county of Cook and 'State a fragmentary view somewhat similar to of Illinois, have invented a new and Im 1 Fig. 1 but showing in its lowermost position proved Electrically Operated Automatic 1 the plunger of the larger solenoid, the vari Switch, of which'the following is a full, ous parts now occupying the respective posiclear, and exact description. tions which they occupy when the damper is My invention relates to electrically-operclosed; and Fig. 3 is a diagram of the solenated automatic switches admitting of genl oids, contacts and wiring, showing their reeral use and possessing certain advantages I lations to the thermostat and various other of simplicity, reliability, cheapness of conmechanical parts.

struction and economy in operation. Mounted within a metallic frame 4: is a While for convenience I show but one solenoid 5 which is provided with a movable form of the switch, it will be understood core 6 of magnetic material, preferably iron,

that it may be used in a great variety of and pro ecting upwardly from this core is a relations more or less independent, and that stem 7 provided with a cylindrical head 8. I do not limit myself to the precise construe- Mounted upon this head is a plate 9 of intion shown nor to the special use to which sulating material, and carried by the latter is this particular device is applied. a bracket 10 of metal constituting acontact he accompanying drawings show my inmember. Another bracket 11 of metal, convention as applied to a damper regulator; stituting another contact member, is mountthat is, to an apparatus in which a damper ed upon a plate 12 of insulating material, the is opened, closed'and locked in certain prelatter being secured upon a shelf 13 carried determined positions by the action of solenby a standard 14 integral with it and with oids which are controllable by a thermothe frame 4. stat having a contact for each solenoid, the A frame 15 is integrally connected with thermostat thus being a type of electric the frame 4 and su ports a solenoid 16, the switch. axis of this solenoid being horizontal. This One advantage of my device is the fact solenoid is provided with a stationary armathat the solenoids are dead at all times exture 18 which is adjustable relatively to it by cept when in the act of moving the damper aid of a threaded portion 18*. By turning in case a contact closes, and the damper reguthe armature it is moved slightly along in lating mechanism is in consequence actuated, the general direction of its axis. The sol'en- 9.0 the closure thereafter of the same contact will oid 16 is further provided with a movable have no effect whatever and will not waste any core 17 of magnetic material having its long current. It is only when another contact is est axis horizontal. This core 17 is drawn closed and current is needed for moving the toward the stationary armature 18 by magdamper in the opposite direction that any netic action whenever the solenoid 16 is encurrent whatever is able to flow. ergized. The stationary armature 18 is of Reference is to be had to the accompanyiron and is employed for the purpose of ining drawings forming a partof this specificreasing the magnetic attraction.

cation, in which similar characters of refer- Mounted upon the frame 15 is a bracket ence indicate corresponding parts in all the 19 which serves as abracket for supporting a gures. stem 20. This stem extends directly through Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the the bracket 19 and is secured firmly to the automatic switch which is provided with a core 17. Encircling the stem 20 is a spiral large solenoid having a vertically movable spring 21. A plate 22 of insulating material plunger for opening and closing the damper, is secured upon the stemQO by aid of a nut 1 5 the smaller solenoid having a horizontally 22. The stem 20 is provided with a head 23 movable plu er for locking and releasin having a step 24 integral with it. The plate the plunger 0 the first-mentioned solenoi 22 of insulating material is jammed against this view' further showing various contacts the head 23 by aid of the nut 22. A contact which are opened and closed by the action of member 25 is carried by the plate 22 and is the solenoid plungers, and further showing a adapted to engage and disengage a contact thermostat provided with separate contacts 1 member 26, the latter being securedoupon a the circuit is plate 26 which is mounted upon the frame 15. The head 8 may rest upon the step 2%, as indicated in Fig. 1, in which event the core 6 is sustained in its uppermost position. l/Vhen, however, the solenoid 16, by its attraction for the core 17, causes the latter to move to the left according to Fig. 1, the step 2 1 is withdrawn from the head 8 and the core 6 therefore falls by its own weight. If, now, the solenoid 16-be deenergized,,the step 21 presses against the head 8, as indicated in Fig. 2, because of the action of the spring 21. If, now, the core 6 be again raised, the step 2 1 slips under the head 8, thus sustaining the core 6 even after the solenoid 5 is deenergized. The contact member 26 is connected by a wire 27 with a contact -28. Another contact 29 is connected by a wire 30 with the contact member 11. I v

A thermostatic bar is shown at 31 and opens and closes the contacts 28, 29. From the thermostatic bar a wire 32 leads to a battery 33 and connected with the latter is a wire 34 which is connected to two wires 35, 36, making a so-called Y-connection therewith. The wire 35 leads to the large solenoid 5 and the wire 36 leads to the smaller solenoid 16, and from the'latter a wire 37 leads to the contact member 10. A wire 38 is connected with the solenoid 5 and also with the contact member 25. The solenoid 6 is provided with an eye 1O to facilitate its connection with a damper.

The operation of my device is as follows: I will assume that the switch is to be applied to a damper, and that with the parts in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 (the core 6 being in its uppermost position) the dam per is opened. Now, it is obvious that as the core 6 is already in its uppermost position there is no need of wasting current by allowing it to pass through the solenoid 5 until the core 6 is lowered. In my arrangement the thermostatic bar 31, by moving to the right, closes the contact 28, but this 'movement is unable to waste any current or to energize either solenoid for the reason that opened between the contact members 25, 26. No-matter, therefore, how

many times the thermostatic bar 31 may move to the right, no other part of the apparatus is affected in any manner. Suppose, however, that-the thermostatic bar moves to the left to a suflicient distance to close the contact 29. The following circuit is thereby completed: battery 33, wire 32, thermostatic bar 31, contact 29, wire 30, contact members 11, 10, wire 37, solenoid 16, wires 36, 34:, back to battery 33. This energizes the solenoid 16 and causes the core 17 to move to the left, thereby withdrawing the step 2 L from the head 8. This allows the its own weight, carrying with it, of course, the stem 7 head 8, plate 9 and contact mem ber 10, and breaking contact between the core ,6 to drop by contact members 10 and 11. The downward movement of the core 6 closes the damper and presumably changes the temperature of the thermostatic bar 31. If, now, it should through any cause that the thermostatic bar 31 should .close the contact 29, this movement can not in any wise affect any part of the apparatus, owing to the fact that the contact member 10 has disengaged the contact member 11, as will be understood from Fig. 2. No matter, therefore, how often the contact 29 may be closed, nothing can take place to disturb the apparatus until the thermostatic bar 31 moves to the right a distance sufficient to close the contact 28. Meanwhile (the parts being in the position indicated in Fig. 2), the head 23 is held in its extreme position to the left, although the solenoid 16 is no longer energized.v The bulk of the head 8 accomplishes this purpose as it keeps the spring 21 compressed, and in doing this it maintains the contact member 25 in engagement with the contact member 26. Suppose, now, that the thermostatic bar 31 moves to the right so as to close the contact 28, as indicated in Fig. 2. The instant this takes place, the following circuit is combar 31, contact pleted: battery 33, wire 32,

28, wire 27, contact members 26, 25 (now closed-see Fig. 2), wire 38, solenoid 5, wires 35, 34:, back to battery 33. This energizes the solenoid 5 and lifts the core 6 so that, owing to the action ofthe spring 21, the step 24 slips under the cylindrical head 8 and maintains the core 6 in its uppermost position, as indicated in Fig. 1. This leaves the apparatus in its original pos'tion. The net result of the action of the device is that the core 6 moves alternately into its uppermost and its lowermost positions, and maintains either position unt' a substantial change is made in the position of the thermostatic bar 31. It will also be noted that the solenoids 5, 16 are nearly always dead. The mere closing of either. contact 28 or 29 does not energize either of the solenoids for the reason that it may happen that the circuit is open elsewhere than at the contact thus closed. Not only, therefore, does the apparatus prevent waste of battery power, but it also prevents undesirable action of the movable parts.

I find that the device is especially useful in connection with such mechanism as damper regulators, air compressor regulators, water level regulators, and semaphore arms. It may, in fact, be used in any relation where the closure of different contacts is relied upon to move a member in opposite directions. Among its general advantages are the following: I, no energy is consumed in holding either plunger at either end of its travel; 11, there is no current to be broken at the connecting points of the controlling switch, this being a decided advantage in connection with the thermostatic bar or in any relation where the contacts may be opened very slowly; III, the solenoids being cut ofi entirely after the core has completed its travel in either direction renders the de- Vice capable of use with almost any kind of current whether direct or alternating; IV there will be very little heat to dissipate because the current is cut off immediately after the solenoid cores complete their respective travels.

While I preferably use solenoids because they give a longer stroke to the cores, any equivalent magnetic members may be employed. For convenience I designate the solenoid 5 as a motor solenoid and the as a locking solenoid.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

The combination of a movable member, a

head for temporarily supporting the same, magnetic mechanism for displacing said head so as torelease said movable member, a contact normally open and adapted to be closed by said v magnetic mechanism, an electricswitch provided with a plurality of contacts, one of said contacts being in electrical communication with said first-mentioned contact, another contact controllable by said movable member and but adapted to be opened Whenever said movable member is released, and an electrical connection from said last-mentioned contact to one of the contacts of said electric switch.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. LACKE. Witnesses:

JOHN P. GEHRING, F. E. SINKHAM. 

